GRAND CAYMAN, CAYMAN ISLANDS—You know what it’s like: Constantly working your thumbs on your Blackberry, checking for updates on your iPhone and trying to find your way around town with the GPS.

Now imagine what life is like for your kids.

You only had blocks and the odd game of Pop-o-matic Trouble to contend with. They have to navigate the constant stream of online gaming options, decide whether to ask for a PlayStation or Wii under the tree and keep track of the differences between Bakugans and Beyblades.

Face it. Your kids have it rough.

Is it any wonder that sometimes a kid just needs to get away to a time when life was simpler and didn’t require remote controls?

The Ambassadors of the Environment program is a place where kids can detox.

It’s the first thing Ethan, 8, notices when we visit the traditional Caymanian house headquarters on the 144-acre grounds.

Caroline Cahill, program manager, confirms his worst nightmare.

“Nope. No Nintendo Wiis or Xboxes. No iPods or iPads. None of that,” she says with a laugh as Ethan cringes in horror. “A lot of kids don’t get the opportunity to get out into nature because they are just so caught up with modern technology. It’s great for them when they get down here and can get outside.”

What you will find at the program created exclusively for the Ritz Carlton by international explorer Jean-Michel Cousteau (son of the late Jacques) is far more rare: Intelligent adults experienced in working with children and excited about having the chance to share their knowledge with them without losing track of a kid’s need to just be silly.

“All of the naturalists have a degree in either marine biology, environmental preservation, environmental education or something similar,” Cahill explains. “They know the island inside out and if they’re not in here working on programs, rest assured they’re out on the island or in the water somewhere seeking out new things.”

Programs are split between kids aged 4-7 and kids aged 8-15. There are also programs for adults and for families who want to do programming together.

Ethan participated in the “Lights, Camera, Take Action” program and was encouraged to research, write, direct and star in his own eco-public service movie.

Along with his adult naturalist partners he spent a morning exploring the grounds around the property to film before coming back to a room filled with Apple computers used to edit and add special effects to his creation.

When it was over he had an appreciation for the island’s endangered blue iguana, a better sense of how movies are made and a DVD he could take home to share with his classmates.

The creativity and sensitivity of the programming hasn’t gone unnoticed. This year ABC Television voted the Ambassadors of the Environment program the best resort kids program in North America and the Caribbean.

But calling this a kids program is like referring to a space adventure as a short trip. It’s so much more than that.

From “The Case of the Missing Stingray” (a snorkeling, castle-building adventure that teaches kids the secrets of sand) to the “Cayman Snorkel Odyssey” (a reef snorkel with a naturalist as your guide), a wide array of programming offers a bit of something for every interest.

There’s an underwater photography option, Shipwreck exploration opportunities, the chance to visit the island’s botanical gardens and learn about conservation efforts and kayak trips through the mangroves. There are other opportunities as well.

“We also team up with Atlantis submarine to take people down to Georgetown and let them hop onto a submarine and go about 100 feet down,” says Cahill. The views of coral and marine life are clear through the sub’s glass walls. “It’s a great opportunity for people who don’t dive.”

The environmental efforts are practiced beyond the programs as well. The clubhouse itself is a lesson in environmental building. Solar-powered fans and lights are inside and an on-site wind turbine is used to harness wind energy that’s used to power flashlights and charge batteries. Materials for tables and wall units were salvaged when other parts of the hotel were being constructed.

Even the retail area offers things that complement the environmental commitment: corn mugs and stainless steel water bottles, shirts made from spun bamboo, sun repellant clothing and my favourite: a collection of purses made from pop can tabs.

The goal of the program—to inspire young people to live more sustainably and take responsibility for the future—doesn’t take long to catch on.

By the time we’re ready to leave Ethan is fully on the environmental bandwagon. When Cahill shows us a selection of bags made from juice boxes and candy wrappers, he doesn’t miss a beat.

“That’s a pretty good environmental idea!”

Xbox who?

Just the Facts

GETTING THERE: WestJet launched seasonal direct flights to Grand Cayman from Toronto this month. Flights run Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays until April 28 and start at $179. Air Canada also offers direct and connecting flights.

ATTRACTIONS: The Ambassadors of the Environment program runs six days a week. Four programs a day are offered Monday to Saturday (9:30 a.m.-1 p.m. and 2:30-5 p.m.). Evening programs run on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday (6:30-9 p.m.). Registration is required and costs range from $50-$90 U.S. depending on the program. For hotel information, go to www.ritzcarlton.com.

MORE INFO: Grand Cayman is an easy island to navigate and many tourists rent cars while visiting. Visit www.caymanislands.ky for information on accommodations, restaurants and activities.

Heather Greenwood Davis is a family travel writer planning an around the world trip starting in July 2011. Reach her at globetrottingmama.com. Her visit to the Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman was subsidized by the resort.

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